Biggest Challenge Facing Richmond in 2017

First Place: Richmond City Schools

Second Place: President Donald Trump

Third Place: Crime

Richmonders are worried about schools. The abrupt departure of superintendent Dana Bedden — though no one is saying exactly why — is only one of the most recent signs. The city has proven its ability to attract the desirable creative class, many of whom choose to live in the city. Problem is, once many of those people become parents, they high-tail it to the counties for better schools. Richmond city schools must improve to encourage families to stay put. Positive developments in addressing the substantial needs of those schools includes Mayor Levar Stoney’s proposed increase, including teacher pay, in the school’s budget, and next is figuring out how to best use the $8.3 million surplus the school system recently revealed it has.